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This section was my workspace for philosophy essays between July 2006 and April 2008.
I call this "Prehistoric Kilroy" because it gave me practice for more
disciplined essays in Kilroy Cafe.Also see my philophical blog and Twitter feed.

Practical Tips from a Homeless Dude

Following up on my essay on Homelessness, here are some
practical tips for comfortable homeless living...

Sleeping

Safe and comfortable sleep requires only a few
simple elements:

A place to lie approximately flat, with your
head at about the same level as your legs.

Some padding underneath you and some extra
padding to support your head.

Sufficient warmth (active or passive) to
maintain your body temperature through the night.

Protection from rain and snow.

Protection from insects.

Safety from predators and criminals.

Protection from loud noises and
unnecessary interruption.

Fresh air.

Opportunity for urination.

Throughout the world, people sleep in a variety of
circumstances: in hammocks, on the floor in grass
huts. You don't need a fluffy bed with a down
comforter to get a good night's sleep.

If you sleep in the remote desert, as I do, it is
easy. Rain, insects, fresh air and urination
are rarely an issue. Predators, even human ones,
are non-existent. To my knowledge, I have never
been abducted by aliens, and although I stare up
at the stars every night, I have never seen a UFO.
Interruptions are rare, and I am probably more
likely to get a full night's sleep than you
are.

Warmth and padding require some forethought and a
trip to Wal-Mart. I sleep on an air mattress,
inflated with an electric pump. I buy cheap sleeping
bags, use them for a couple of months, then throw
them out. In the summer, I use them like blankets,
one below me and one on top of me. (You need them even
in the summer, because the desert isn't hot at night.)
Except in the winter, I sleep in the open and
rarely use a tent.

In the winter, I pay attention to the weather
forecast and the expected lows. I use multiple
sleeping bags and sometimes multiple layers of
clothing. I can go down to 0°F using these
passive methods alone. (However, the temperature
rarely goes much below freezing in the Mojave
Desert.) I may pitch a tent, but in the coldest
season I sleep in the back seat of the car.

Winter can be hard, due to the cold, the
frequent wind and the long nights. I go to
sleep in darkness and wake up in darkness. In
January, I wouldn't mind being adopted by a family
with a warm home. More realistically,
I am drawn to the coast in California, where at
least the temperatures are mild.

I prefer to sleep in the open or in a tent,
because it lets me stretch out, but the advantage
of sleeping in the back sear of a car is that I
can do it almost anywhere, no commute required.
Whenever I am tired, I just pull over and go to
sleep. Sleeping in a space a foot shorter than
you are takes a few nights to get used to, but it
is passable after that.

I feel comfortable sleeping anywhere where I would
safely leave a car overnight. Sleeping in a car
isn't illegal in most places, but property owners
may object if they knew, and obviously I don't
want to be detected to preserve my security. I
have slept in casino parking garages, with
security frequently passing, and no one has
noticed me. (If they did, they would have asked me
to leave.) I have been woken twice by potential car
thieves, but only because I choose a location in
the city that was too isolated, so my car became
an obvious target.

On the rare occasions when I have been awoken by
police or security guards, the encounter has been
generally courteous. It is usually the result of
my poor choice of parking place, which drew
attention to my presence. Security guards will ask
me to leave, but the police usually won't.

When sleeping in the car, at least one window
needs to be open for breathing, but it only has to
be open a crackabout an inch. (A car with a
sunroof is even more discreet.) In mosquito
country, I drape a sheet of mosquito netting or
any thin cloth over the door to keep out the bugs.

When I find myself in a rental car in a cold
climate with insufficient bedding to sleep, I
point the car into the wind, crack the windows and
leave the engine and heater running all night. Modern cars
are well sealed, and I have no fear of carbon
monoxide. The gas cost is minimal compare to the
cost (and inconvenience) of a motel. There may be
some wear and tear on the engine, but it's not my
car.

I don't have much experience in the rain, but it
can present a problem. You need to have a window
open to breathe, which also lets the rain in. I
sometimes solve this with a trash bag or other
sheet of plastic draped over the partly open window.

In cold climates, snow falling overnight generally
isn't a problem. It adds a layer of insulation to
the car and may actually warm things up a bit.
The biggest annoyance in sleeping in the cold is
frost forming on the INSIDE of the windows. It
can also be difficult getting out of bed in the
morning. Sometimes I reach over and start the car
and let the heater run for a while before getting
up.

Hygiene

Water isn't necessary to brush your teeth. Your
mouth produces enough of it. Water is useful only
to rinse your brush.

24 Hour
Fitness is the best health club in Las Vegas
(for the homeless), with 14 locations around the
city and many in California. On very cold
mornings, I sometimes go there upon waking to thaw
out in the jacuzzi. Homelessness is rough!

I have a functional wardrobe that I keep in two
large laundry bags in my trunk: one for clean
clothes and the other for dirty clothes. Clothes
are washed at a public facility called a
"Laundromat."

Common public restrooms can be rank. Casino
restrooms are usually beautiful, however. The
restrooms in universities and public buildings
also tend to be nice. If I don't have a reason to
be in town, I am usually out in the desert, where
nature provides the rest room.

I cut my own hair. (Can you tell?) I do it
with a $8 electric hair clipper purchased at
Wal-Mart. The length of my hair is dictated
by the available attachments on the clipper. I do it
at the health club, where they have a staff to
clean up all the little hairs I leave behind.

Space

I keep several storage units in Las Vegas, which
are my only tie to a specific location. I store
everything there that I don't need right away. I
prefer interior storage units, to keep out the
dust. These are air-conditioned units, but not
heated. One of my units doubles as an office.
With the tacit approval of management, I run
a power cord from the overhead light fixture
and use it to run my computer and charge my
portable appliances.

I keep in my car everything I need to live for the
next two weeks (except food). When I travel, I am
"already packed." I could take off right now for a
road trip and have
everything I need.

When my last car blew up, I made a philosophical
decision not to buy another one.
Instead, I rent a car for two weeks at a time from A---- Rent-a-Car.
At least in Las Vegas, A---- has the best deal
going: low rates, new cars, no geographical travel
restrictions, and you get to pick you own car from
the lot. (My current choice is a Chevy Impala.)
My credit card provides a free collision
damage waiver for rentals up to 15 days, hence the
2-week cycle. I usually rent a full-size car, which
is only slightly more expensive than a
compact, gets almost the same gas mileage, is more
spacious and handles dirt roads better. The
rental, including all taxes and fees, costs an average of $175 a
week. This compares favorably with the payments
on a new car, given that I pay NO maintenance
costs, NO insurance, and I ALWAYS have a new,
clean, fully working car. It is a justifiable
luxury, I feel, given what I am saving on rent.

The car itself provides an important workspace.
As long as the weather isn't too hot or too cold,
I can work on my laptop there.

Public and university libraries also provide a
convenient free workspace, heated and air
conditioned. It is rare that a college or
university library will require ID to enter, and
they tend to have long hours when school is in
session.

There is nothing to prevent me from going into a
fast food restaurant, buying one or two things,
then staying for two hours to work on my
computer. Sometimes, I can even find power
outlets.

The main problem with working in the open desert
is not so much the heat but too much light, which can
wash out my computer screen when working in the
car. Shade is as hard to find in the desert as
water. I know the places along I-15 where free
shade can be found (highway underpasses, etc.) and
I often work there. When the weather is cool, I
can create shade in my car by draping a tarp over it.

Nutrition

The only drink you really need is water. Soft
drinks are superfluous, and I try to abstain from them
(with some occasional backsliding).

I always travel with at least two gallons of
water, for drinking and emergencies. This doesn't
have to be bottled water. Soft drink bottles filled
with tap water will do.

Perishable food will keep for a lot longer than
you think without refrigeration. Milk, for
example, will keep for about a day in the summer,
but for several days in the winter. How do you
know when food has gone bad? Taste it! That's
exactly why we evolved a sense of taste! If it
taste's okay, then eat it.

Almost everything I buy, I eat. If I buy a
sandwich and don't eat it all right away, I will
finish it later in the day.

Anything that you would eat hot can also be eaten
cold. If the food looks unappealing when
coldcovered on gobs of congealed fat, for
examplethen you probably shouldn't be eating
it hot either. Unless the food is raw, like meat,
heating of it is strictly for personal taste and
is not for nutrition.

I tried to travel with a camp stove for a while. I
figured I could use it to boil water and heat
soup, but I never used it, so now I leave it in
storage. Likewise, I am not impressed by
those 12 volt plug-in coolers. The cooling is
trivial, and when you are parked, the cooler shuts
off after a couple of hours. I had one but gave it
away.

The primary aim of eating is for nutrition not
taste. I won't eat something if it is unappealing
to me, but my choices are primarily guided by
what I think is balanced and will do something
for me. This is important when you are living in a
landscape of fast food.

Since I have become homeless, I have lost almost
all attraction for things that are sweet and
superfluous. Chocolate and ice cream no longer
interest me. It is very strange.

I used to do a lot of buffets, a logical nutrition
source in Las Vegas. However, I discontinued this
practice when I saw (at the health club) that my
weight was creeping upward in spite of my
exercise. Seeing the modest food portions that
the French eat also changed me. I now eat only
when I am physically hungryi.e. when I feel a
hole in my stomachand then I make a
conscious choice about what I eat: What is this
food going to do for me? As soon as my hunger is
satiated, I stop eating and put the food away for
later.

Canned goods provide an unexpected source of good
nutrition, and my investment in a can opener was a
wise one. There is an amazing array of foods that
are available in cans or jars.

I don't keep much food in the car, but I always
keep something bland and non-perishable for use as
emergency rations. This is something that I would
not normally eat, so it is not at risk of
spontaneous consumption, but if I am hungry, it
will get me by for a few hours. Currently this
food is a box of Spoon-Size Shredded Wheat. If I
am off in the desert and get hungry, this is what
I will eat, thus avoiding an unnecessary trip to
civilization.

Every morning when I wake up, I have a bowl of cereal—the
Shredded Wheat. I use canned evaporated milk, reconstituted
with one part water. I have come to like this better than
milk straight from the cow.

If I am working on a writing project, I usually have a
enough basic supplies with me that I can stay for a couple of
days in the desert without having to return to civilization.

Modern Conveniences

All of my electronic devices (computer, cell
phone, camera, toothbrush, electric razor) are charged in my
car via a power inverter plugged into the
cigarette lighter and then into an AC power strip.
None of these devices use much power, and I find
that I can charge all of them all night from the
car battery and still start the car in the
morning. To be safe, I keep a battery booster in
the trunk, in case I run the car battery down
while parked.

I get unlimited internet access via Cingular for
$55/month. This operates through a card inserted
in my laptop and works anywhere that I can use my
cell phone. This gives me relatively slow "dialup" speed, which is
usually adequate for my purposes.

Given my nationwide Cingular connection, most WiFi
services are useless to me. I use WiFi only
overseas or in places in the U.S. where it is
offered for free (like the Clark County libraries or
the Las Vegas airport).

I have a basic high-deductible health insurance
plan through Blue Cross (anthem.com). I rarely get
sick, but when I do I am tempted to check into a
motel to recuperate (but I never have). In Las
Vegas, I tell myself that I can check into a motel
whenever the conditions get uncomfortable, but I
have never done it.

The only modern information source that I am
lacking is television. This is a loss I don't
regret. I also don't listen to news on the radio
and rarely peruse it on the net (apart from local
news relevant to Family Court). I am forced to
watch TV in the health club and other places, so if the
world were ending I would probably know about it,
but the rest of the day-to-day happenings of the
world no longer interest me. Like my taste for
chocolate, my news addiction evaporated when I
became homeless.

It is a blissful, wonderful state!

The Desert

The desert is known for its heat, but this is
really only an issue in the summer months: June,
July and August. In the dry heat of the open
desert, even 115° is bearable as long as
you have water and shade. In the Mojave, I know several
shaded spots along I-15 where I can comfortably
work all day (with internet access), even in the
peak of summer. I actually prefer to be here
rather than in an air conditioned library because I
have more privacy.

Summer heat is oppressive only in the city, where
buildings and parking lots absorb heat and radiate
it back.

Polarized sunglasses are a requirement in the
desert at any time of year. Mine are $6 fishing sunglasses
from you-know-where.

The desert has its poisonous creatures, but they
tend to stay clear of humans, and I have rarely
encountered them. Small rodents will eat any food
I have lying around. Coyotes can make a lot of
noise with their howling, but they don't come to
camp. Kit foxeslooking like small grey dogs with big
earsmay come to my camp and steal things,
especially my shoes. For this reason, I often
hide my shoes under the air mattress.

The desert has "weather" and one has to be
sensitive to it. The main form of bad weather is
windstorms, which happen far more often than rain.
When rain comes, it is usually in the form of
thunderstorms, which can dump a lot of water on a
limited area while leaving neighboring areas dry.
Windstorms and rain usually force me to sleep in
the car.

BLM regulations in Southern Nevada say that I can
camp for up to 14 days in one location on public
land, without permit or permission. After that, I
am supposed to move a certain distance away (I
think 20 miles) for a certain length of time (I
think 45 days). However, because I am discreet and
seeing a BLM ranger is a once-in-a-lifetime event,
there is nobody to count how many days I spend in
one location. If I had to adhere to the letter of the
law, I would move between 3 or 4 campsites in
Nevada and California. In other words, one can
live legally and indefinitely on public land
without paying a cent in rent as long as you
don't set down roots.

A surprising number of dirt roads can be handled
by a full-size sedan, as long as you know how to
drive. In case of breakdowns, you never want to
drive into someplace that you aren't prepared to
walk out of. I always keep at least two gallons
of water in the car, and I am aware of my escape
plan whenever I drive a dirt road.

Travel

Anywhere but the desert, sleeping out in the open
(without a tent) is uncomfortable. Why? The issue
isn't necessarily mosquitos or rain but DEW. This
is a layer of moisture that forms over everything
at night in humid climates. Dew is the equivalent
of a light rainshower every night. The wetness
starts in the evening and lasts all night. It may
seem romantic to sleep on a blanket on the beach,
but if you do you'll soon be soaked. You'll need
a tent.

Truck stops often have showers for sale, but the
price tends to be high for non-truckers: $10 or
more. When one has been on the road for a while
and really stinks, this may be an excuse to spend
a night at Motel 6.

In rural areas of the U.S.,
Motel 6 is usually the
best motel option. The rate is posted on their
sign, and you always know what you're going to
get. Independent motels can offer similar or
better rates, but you take your chances. I have
had so many bad experiences at independent motels
that I head for Motel 6 every time.

In Europe, the local equivalent of Motel 6 is
Formula 1, owned by the same company. Formula 1
rooms are tiny but functional, and even with the unfavorable
exchange rate, they are as cheap as
Motel 6. (One of the rare bargains in
Europe!) In the European tradition, toilets and
showers are shared. It is not as romantic as
staying in a quaint local hotel, but it is cheap,
easy and doesn't require any language skills.
(Desk clerks usually speak English.)

In Europe, rental cars are tiny, which means I am
sleeping in the fetal position in the back seat.
Usually, I go for Formula 1 when available, with
the car as a backup. At least this means I don't
have to worry about reservations. If I were
traveling with someone else, I would bring a tent
for gypsy camping. Even in dense Europe, there
are plenty of rural areas where you can discreetly
set up a tent at night, but you need to scope out
a campsite before nightfall.

Sociology

Apart from the visible "homeless problem" that you
see on the streets of any city, there are a vast
number of semi-homeless people living in their
cars. You would hardly notice them unless you are
looking for them, and then you'll see they
are everywhere. These people aren't counted in any
survey or census because they are generally
invisible and aren't a problem. They often have
jobs but just can't afford an apartment.

Most, but not all, are male. They typically live
in ratty looking vans seen parked throughout the
city. They can be intelligent and pleasant
to talk to. There
is often a tale of woe behind
their current lifestyle, but they are not a burden
to society. On the contrary, they tend to be
very independent. They are living within their
means, and they are not asking anything of anyone.

Would I be living this lifestyle if I was involved
in a committed relationship with, say, a female.
I don't know; it would depend on her. In my
experience, females tend to be rather... prissy.
You know, femmy. Like GIRLS! Interior decorating
and the collection of shiny baubles are a
major factor, and the female maintenance issues can be huge.
There aren't many who you could
persuade to move out of a house and into a van.
There would have to be negotiations. Positions
would have to be stated. Feelings would have to be
elucidated. And even if you broke down and
lived in a house or apartment with her,
it's not like you can just get in the
car whenever you feel like it and go sleep in the
desert. There's now POLITICS and BUREAUCRACY to
contend with. Shees!

Not that I am bitter, mind you. I know a number
of respectable couples who have spent extensive
periods living out of a vehicle together,
sometimes months at a time, but this is usually
only when they are traveling. The only ones I
have met who do it full time generally live in
RVs. If you find a couple living together in a car
or van in a stationary location, they usually look
like they have fallen on hard times.

I have never met anyone else among the
semi-homeless who lives in a rental car, or
who has internet access and a medical plan. The
key development is cellular internet access, which
started only recently. Now that the advantages of
a fixed home have become marginal, I'm sure that
others will see the light, and at least van and RV
living will increase.

Homelessness, in relative comfort, is a
small price to pay for freedom.

I just read a couple of articles about being homeless. I was wondering how you obtain a driver's license without a permanent residence. My friend is between places right now, and finds it is difficult to get one when they don't allow PO boxes as permanent addresses. The same with the bank -- they won't let you use PO boxes to get an account.

It is best to use the address of a local friend, but you also
might get by without one.

In Las Vegas,
I have a friend whose address I use, but once I have specified his
residence address (say for a driver's licence) I can usually have the
organization use my PO Box for actual mail. Thus, the friend whose
address I use has NEVER received any mail for me.

The only things I have needed a physical address for are:

Driver's license

Health insurance

Employer

Opening Credit Cards & Bank Accounts

Passport

Product rebates (no PO Boxes)

Initial rental of a PO Box.

I use my out-of-state parents' address for the last four and my local
friend's address for the first three. Apart from the rebates and
the initial PO Box address, all of the
others allow me to use the PO Box as my mailing address
for regular mailings.

If I was pressed to a wall and had NO ONE locally whose address
I could use, I might just pick an apartment complex and claim to
live there. I would choose a specific apartment, then submit an address
change with the post office for my name and that address (so if
any real mail did arrive, it would eventually get to me).

For a truly permanent address, I would use the address of my parents
or another non-homeless
family member in another state.

On my current Nevada driver's license it shows my PO Box (even
though I they have my friend's address on file). Unfortunately, if a
cop pulled me over and asked for me for a residence address,
I wouldn't be able to remember my friend's address
(and I would be lying to the officer).
Instead, I would simply tell the cop that I am homeless.
Nothing wrong with that.

Reader Comments

“Interesting. I've been living in my dodge dakota for about a year.”
— 12/17/06 (rating=5)

“It was very good and I am glad I could read it before I'm homeless”
—another homeless dude 3/20/07 (rating=4)

“I love it, been there done that, and not only males do it, i'm a GIRL!”
—Miz Liz 6/27/07 (rating=5)

“awsumaited”
—lethal 7/1/07 (rating=5)

“nicely done. Practical hints. I can get a full bath and wash hair with 1 gal. of h2o.”
—Campin' ,( homeless) for 20 years 7/25/07 (rating=3)

“Intreresting tale”
—Ian Martin from New Zealand 9/22/07 (rating=4)

“between three and four id say. good info for sure.”
—homeless@16 11/7/07 (rating=4)

“I have been checking into this lifestyle and find it to be very interesting. I would of course like to live in an area that has favorable weather. The freedom from regular, daily sociatal norms must be amazing though.”
—Jom 12/18/07 (rating=3)

“thanks”
— 1/2/08 (rating=5)

“I've been living out of my car for a month...It's not bad except for the address part. It can get a little complicated having everything go to my parents becaus we don't get along.”
— 1/6/08 (rating=5)

“Enlightening, especially when the whole world is pulled from underneath you and you're only 19. Just goes to show "it could be worse"”
—Andy 4/17/08 (rating=5)

“use a spray bottle filled with diluted cetaphil solution and microfiber towel for shower. you can even use in the car if you are careful”
—infowars.com 6/28/08 (rating=3)

“This is a great essay, want to co-author my book on car living?”
—Houseless but not homeless 7/8/08 (rating=5)

“Very useful. I'm planning to begin a fully-free semi-homeless life with a friend in Florida. Your essays are giving me wonderful ideas. Maybe I'll start a site of my own and throw in some ideas for East coast living! =)”
—Floridian Freedom 8/1/08 (rating=5)

“great, look for the stealthiswiki website if you want about 500 pages on homeless living, add some of your own”
—Homeless Revolutionary 8/5/08 (rating=3)

“thank you!!!!!!!!!!!”
— 9/22/08 (rating=5)

“It has been quite enlightening to find there are other educated, free-spirited people who live in their cars.”
—Sherry B 10/1/08 (rating=3)

“Im going to live homeless for charity for a week. I'm a school teacher”
—Dee 10/20/08 (rating=5)

“My brother is homeless and I learned many tips from this. I to once lived in Las Vegas and would say that it can be done.”
—Steve NJ 12/8/08 (rating=5)

“ummm...”
— 1/27/09 (rating=2)

“I was looking more for tips on how to be homeless when you have no money, but this was a refreshing read. You sound more like a modern nomad.”
—Panda 2/1/09 (rating=3)

“Fantastic! I hope to go homeless soon to pay off my debts. This is very very helpful.”
—Almost Homeless 6/5/09 (rating=5)

“It need to be expanded into specific ways to deal with criminals and signs and signals we homeless people use to alert others to our presence so no one is 'surprised' by walking up on us sleeping etc.”
—BenOliver 6/5/09 (rating=5)

“Nice job”
—Fishdontbounce 7/3/09 (rating=5)

“I would have liked more ways to survive without an income, but thankyou. I was going to buy a sailboat, now maybe I'll get a license instead”
—Dawn Connelly 7/6/09 (rating=3)

“Tip I read elsewhere: Get one of those Car Tarps, and put it over your car so you can sleep without police knocking on your window in very public places. Also want to do the sail boat think ^”
— 9/7/09 (rating=4)

“Fantastic to know others like myself. I even learned a few things. I manage to do it without a car and without bothering anyone or asking for anything. It's nice to be a free chick.”
—phantom_lover 10/28/09 (rating=4)

“very interesting read as we are having financial difficulties and car problems, definitely a very good read. thanks for all the helpful ideas and tips, for a just in case scenario!!!!!”
—brian 2/22/11 (rating=5)

“being an o.t r. driver i have encountered many of the same problems w vertually the same solutions. very well writen.stay safe!”
—ken 5/27/11 (rating=4)